Evan walked into the bedroom, where I was carefully applying makeup, keeping it subdued so it didn’t look like I was trying too hard. “Do you have a date or something?” he asked, and I jerked my eyes away from my reflection.

“No, why would you ask that?”

“I’m just teasing you, Blaire.” He shrugged noncommittally. “It’s just that you’re wearing a dress and putting on makeup on a Thursday night,” he said with a smirk.

“It’s just a casual jersey dress,” I argued. He sat on the bed behind my dressing table, his eyes fixed on mine in the mirror. “I’m meeting Axel,” I told him after an interminable silence.

“Axel. As in the man who broke your heart five years ago?”

“Yes, he saw Carrie with me in the grocery store today and figured out who she was. I told him I would talk to him about it later because the beef jerky aisle isn’t exactly an ideal place to have that conversation. Especially with Carrie right there listening in.”

“Why do you even need to explain anything to him? He didn’t want her, Blaire. Do you really think this man, all of a sudden, wants a child in his life? You know the lifestyles most of the players lead.” The harsh words stung, even though he delivered them with his usual gentle tone.

But the expression of awe on Ax’s face when he looked at her… I couldn’t have imagined that, right?

“I don’t know, Ev. I feel like there’s some unresolved stuff we need to work out. After all, we had exactly one conversation about me being pregnant, and then we parted ways.”

“He could have contacted you to check on his kid, but he’s been silent for the past five years.”

“In all honesty, he couldn’t. I changed my number and switched to a different school without telling him, so there really wasn’t any way for him to contact me.” I turned back to the mirror and continued talking while applying mascara to my lashes. “Not that I thought he would or anything. I’m just going to answer any questions he may have, Evan. That’s it. I feel like I owe him that much.”

Evan stood and put his hands on my shoulders. “I just worry about you. I don’t like you being around someone who hurt you so deeply. And I don’t think you owe him a damn thing.”

Evan had a fiercely protective streak where I was concerned. I put one of my hands over his and patted it. “I know. Thank you, Evan. It will be okay. He’s probably just curious. I really don’t think he wants anything more.”

Except that the way he held Carrie’s hand so lovingly was just so…

“Where are you meeting?”